Director-Accounting & Controller

About the role

This position offers flexible remote/hybrid work scheduling. We are targeting candidates who are either within commuting distance of our home office in Fond du Lac, WI for infrequent in-person meetings, or who are open to relocation.

Responsibilities

• Directs and oversees all accounting operational functions, including financial statements, general ledger, statutory reporting, financial close processes, tax reporting and audited financial statements.
• Ensures accounting practices comply with statutory accounting principles and requirements of regulatory and governing bodies, including NAIC, IRS, and insurance examiners.
• Oversees controllership and assistant treasurer responsibilities, including cash management, liquidity monitoring, and banking relationships, in coordination with the VP – Finance & Treasurer.
• Designs, implements, and monitors effective internal controls over financial reporting; evaluates control effectiveness and leads remediation of identified risks.
• Develops, implements, and monitors performance metrics that drive business decisions and support achievement of organizational goals.
• Led finance transformation initiatives, including close optimization, reporting automation, and system integrations to enhance efficiency, accuracy, scalability and control effectiveness.
• Leads and coordinates internal and external audits and serves as a primary liaison with auditors and regulators.
• Oversees expense management, including monitoring, analysis, and control of operating costs, identifying efficiency opportunities, and supporting profitability and expense discipline.
• Oversees income tax provision processes, coordinating with internal teams and external advisors to ensure accurate calculations, proper reporting, and compliance with applicable regulations.
• Drives performance insights and provides actionable financial analysis to support informed business decision-making.
• Drives continuous improvement through process optimization, automation, and system enhancements, ensuring accounting and control requirements are embedded into business processes.
• Promotes understanding of new accounting standards and any new accounting transactions to implement the required changes needed for reporting.
• Ensures employee development by coaching and assisting in the development of career goals and providing opportunities for employees to gain additional knowledge in areas outlined in their development plans.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or a related field, with evidence of ongoing, continuous learning in insurance and leadership development.
• 10 years of progressive experience in accounting or finance, including leadership roles with responsibility for financial reporting and accounting operations.
• 10 years of property and casualty insurance industry experience.
• 5 years of people leadership experience, including direct oversight of accounting and financial reporting functions.
• Possess the Certified Public Accounting designation.
• Demonstrated expertise in designing, implementing, and evaluating internal controls over financial reporting, including risk assessment, control testing, and remediation of identified deficiencies.
• Demonstrated experience with statutory accounting principles (SAP) and working knowledge of U.S. GAAP.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate financial data into actionable insights.
• Demonstrated experience leveraging financial systems, data analytics, and reporting tools to enhance reporting accuracy, efficiency, and decision-making.
• Strong understanding of income tax accounting, including experience with tax provision and deferred tax calculations and related financial reporting requirements.
• MBA in Finance or Accounting highly desirable.
• Experience within Mutual Holding Company (MHC) structure, including statutory reporting, capital structure, and intercompany considerations highly desirable.
• Experience operating in a multi-state regulatory insurance environment highly desirable.
• Experience leading finance transformation initiatives, including close optimization, automation, or system integrations highly desirable.